Who is bitcoin’s ‘Banksy’? How the billionaire crypto-founder ‘Satoshi Nakamoto’ could be finally unmasked

The identity of the inventor of bitcoin – among the top 30 richest people on the planet – remains unknown. But with Australian computer programmer Craig Wright now in court, is that about to change? Anthony Cuthbertson investigates

A bronze statue of the mysterious tech figure in the village of Nagytarcsa, east of Budapest (Getty)

It is one of the greatest mysteries in technology: who is Satoshi Nakamoto? The pseudonymous inventor of bitcoin is among the top 30 richest people on the planet, with an estimated fortune of $35bn (£27.7bn). His creation has spawned thousands of imitations, generated a trillion-dollar industry, and reimagined the entire concept of money. It has minted millionaires, and ruined the fortune of others.

Yet 15 years after bitcoin was conceived, Nakamoto’s true identity remains unknown. But that might finally be about to change.

Over the next few weeks, a court in London will hear evidence from Dr Craig Steven Wright, a 53-year-old Australian who claims to be bitcoin’s founder. His lawyers say he has the skills to have created the world’s first cryptocurrency, and the knowledge to have written the 2008 white paper that introduced it to the world.